Howdy Sir,

Regrettably work meetings kept me from participating in the Reddit thread yesterday, however i TOTALLY enjoyed reading it over a cup (read: a pot) of coffee this morning!   I was pleasantly surprised by the diverse amount of questions and awesome info contained within.   Also great to always learn some new stuff (the ipod camera adapter usb works with some usb amps!?!?  sweeet gravy thats a cool find).  And...as ususal...it makes me want to go out and try more and more cans!!!  woot!     

Nice to see you are a fellow bourbon enthusiast...not sure if you dig on rye's,   but bulleit does a great one in addition to their tasty tasty bourbon.  Excellent solo or as in Old Fashioned,  Manhattan,  or Sazerac. 

Thanks again sir for the awesome captured conversation with fellow headphone enthusiasts.   Keep up the great work, write ups, suggestions,  and tips.
 

Peace &  "If music be the food of love,  Play on;   Give me excess of it.." 
                                                              - Duke Orsino, Shakespear, 12th Night, 1602

Thee Toes of Fury

Hi Tyll,

I totally missed the opportunity before yesterday; bit of a short notice, though.
I have always wanted to ask you about the K/Q701/702s and their performance (personal preferences aside), which at least on paper is quite close to that of the HD 800s. I own both a pair of HD 800s and a pair of K702s (and a pair of Q701s), and I believe they are quite similar on many levels, and in many cases I tend to favor my AKGs, rather than my Senns (I use a Violectric V100 with a Centrance Dacport LX).

Many have suggested that the AKGs are the headphones that come closest to the performance of the HD 800s in most respects, and for a fraction of the price. (I also had a pair of HD 650s, but I feel the K702s are so much more open, accurate and transparent - and less expensive -, I ended up selling them.)

Here is an example of this comparison (not my favorite, but offering objective info):
http://www.headphoneinfo.com/content/AKG-K701-Over-ear-Headphone-Review/Sennheiser-HD-800-Comparison.htm

I have always felt that you are a bit unfair on the AKGs mentioned and the performance they deliver. I would like to know your thoughts on the comparison of the performance of these two cans, that you portray as worlds apart, although they measure very close and share many important qualities.

I also want to express my great appreciation for your work with IF, and for the really noble yet tough tasks you constantly challenge yourself with, as well as for your impeccable attitude... and shirts.

Thanks!

Hi Tyll,

Thanks for your considerate answer, and for always having the take-on-the-challenge attitude.

I have noticed your aversion for treble and harsh highs, but I have to say my experience is a different one with both the AKGs and the Senns, especially after the AKGs were well broken in, and after finding the right Amp to do the job.

I believe amplification is crucial with both headphones, and I believe my Violectric V100 really matches both great. I hear a really powerful and extended bass on both, with both acoustic and electronic music. The bass is really extended, pleasant and accurate, and it never sounds bloated or exaggerated. The highs can be annoying, but I've only experienced that with very few recordings and which are all of poor quality.

I think that Amps like the Lehmann Linear /SE and the HeadAmp GS-1 could also be a great match for both cans. They both deliver great performance and certainly have the muscle. I auditioned both cans on a Burson HA-160 and on a Woo WA6, and they weren't by far as refined and resolving as the Violectric and the Lehmann. The Burson had some serious noise and a very exaggerated bass, and the Woo sounded very smeared. (The HeadAmp GS-1 I have never had the chance to audition). The Benchmark DAC-1 also does a great job driving them.

I would very much appreciate that you could give them a comparative listening, and the AKGs a second chance. I think that preferences aside, the performance of the K/Q 701/2s really deserve a spot on your full size open section of your wall of fame.

My particular concern with this comparison lies in the fact that both headphones perform similarly at audible levels, yet they are priced very very far away from eachother. You can get the Q701s new for around 220 bucks, which is almost 7 times less than the HD 800s. I think the advantages that the HD 800s have over the AKGs lies more in the size and positioning of the drivers of the HD 800s, than anything
else.

Anyhow, I would very much appreciate your impressions and maybe a note on these two cans and how they compare. 

Thanks again
 

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